And by everyone, I mean Isa. For whatever reason, I've been bothered lately by something I read.... Isa saying she doesn't have a VitaMix (I don't remember where I read it; I thought it was here on The PPK). And that makes me really sad. How can the cooking goddess that she is not have access to the most powerful consumer blending equipment out there? What kind of even greater cooking masterpieces could she come up with if she had one? And how many copies of AFR does an author have to sell in order to have enough coin for a VitaMix? I almost feel guilty using my VitaMix to make her recipes. Almost.

This kind of thing makes me not want one. Yeah, I get that it's probably an awesome product. But I don't need to be pitied or have someone assume that I 'don't have enough coin' just because I'm not a slave to a brand name. I can be a good cook without 'the most powerful consumer blending equipment out there'™. Some of us just like to spend our money on other things we find enjoyable. Rest assured, we're not suffering. So you can stop feeling guilty.

And by everyone, I mean Isa. For whatever reason, I've been bothered lately by something I read.... Isa saying she doesn't have a VitaMix (I don't remember where I read it; I thought it was here on The PPK). And that makes me really sad. How can the cooking goddess that she is not have access to the most powerful consumer blending equipment out there? What kind of even greater cooking masterpieces could she come up with if she had one? And how many copies of AFR does an author have to sell in order to have enough coin for a VitaMix? I almost feel guilty using my VitaMix to make her recipes. Almost.

This kind of thing makes me not want one. Yeah, I get that it's probably an awesome product. But I don't need to be pitied or have someone assume that I 'don't have enough coin' just because I'm not a slave to a brand name. I can be a good cook without 'the most powerful consumer blending equipment out there'™. Some of us just like to spend our money on other things we find enjoyable. Rest assured, we're not suffering. So you can stop feeling guilty.

Sorry? Are you making an assumption here?

I think this was more a response to somebody being "sad" that somebody hadn't purchased a VitaMix and that it is somehow holding her cooking back. The idea that those without VitaMixes just don't "have enough coin" is off-putting.

_________________Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores or anyhow omnivores who could depart from a meat diet.--Philip K. Dick

I definitely don't mean to cast aspersions on people with Vitamixes as a whole. As I said earlier, I've heard great things about them and I'm sure that they are pretty awesome. It was just the tone of that post that bothered me, with the 'most powerful consumer product ever!' statements. Like no other blender of any other brand is worth considering, and I should be pitied for not realising it.

Some of us just like to spend our money on other things we find enjoyable.

For me, I find cooking enjoyable. I enjoy cooking healthy meals for my friends & family. Or showing non-vegans how delicious vegan food can be. And the VitaMix makes it a lot easier & quicker. (Other methods work, but both work.)

I totally didn't expect such a reaction. And I apologize if I offended anyone or anything. I've had a few blenders before getting the VitaMix, which made me realize how great it is, & I wish everyone had one, or that all blenders did such a good job. That's all.

And the "coin" comment was because of another post where Isa said she got 90 cents from Amazon when someone bought AFR off Amazon. (really? I hoped authors got a little more than that for their hard work.) That was it.

I got a Blendtec for Christmas (comparable to a Vitamix), and I LOVE IT! I didn't pay for it (gift), but I use it almost everyday, so I think it's definitely worth the cost.

Having a high-quality blender makes all my stuff smoother and my nut-based salad dressing not grainy. Also, since having the Blendtec I've been making green smoothies all the time (yay for healthiness!).

I rarely used my vitamix for the first 6 months I had it, but now I use it most days. I could get along just fine without it, but here are some things I would have to stop doing: Making nut butters (walnut is my favorite); grinding all sorts of grains into flour; blasting the hell out of cooked squash peels & seeds (I steam or bake squash whole) with water added to make really yummy veggie stock.

For just about everything else my old blender and food processor would have been sufficient. In fact I still use the food processor as often as the vitamix.

_________________Formerly Kaleicious. I still love kale, but no more than lots of other garden greens too! Orach is currently my favorite.

Mind if I ask what kind of prices people get at Costco (compared to, say, the Vitamix website or Williams-Sonoma)? I've been coveting a vitamix for a long time.. I actually keep hoping that my blender will die so I have an excuse, but it's going strong after more than a decade, so no luck there.

I checked costco before I bought mine, and they didn't have them! I ended up getting a reconditioned one online and paid extra to extend the warranty to 8 years. The machine looked brand new to me when I got it.

i've had my vitamix for over 10 years now. (maybe close to 15 years?) i got it as the only present for my birthday when i was still in college. anyway. don't clean it in the dishwasher. those replacement blades are almost as expensive as a new container.

I have to say that $50 off of retail isn't really the answer I was hoping to get. I was thinking more like..half off would be nice. Now I don't know whether to go to the local demo or just wait. Anyone want to help me lobby congress for a $500 Vitamix tax credit for vegans?

I got my Vitamix from QVC and was able to do it on monthly payments, interest free! I don't know how it compares to other blenders, but I really like it. It's super solid and the motor has a nice purr.

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

I just don't see how I would use it enough: I have used my blender once in the past 12 months and everything I need smooth (which isn't a whole lot), I use food mills. Kitchen shelf space is at a premium not to mention the dollar tag.

I have to say that $50 off of retail isn't really the answer I was hoping to get. I was thinking more like..half off would be nice. Now I don't know whether to go to the local demo or just wait. Anyone want to help me lobby congress for a $500 Vitamix tax credit for vegans?

I'll lobby with you, maybe we could even get it on par with enviro-friendly since they are supposed to last forever and ever.

Anyway, it's not quite half off, but refurbs are probably the cheapest way to go. They even give you a brand-spankin' new container and plunger thing, and there are codes all over the interwebz for free shipping. Mine was my gift to me for having an internship. I love it dearly.

I am just torn because on one level it doesn't make sense to buy one (I have an immersion blender, regular blender, and food processor that all work great, in addition to numerous stand mixer attachments that do..stuff), but then part of me is like...smoother mush! I really need a bunch of people to chime in and tell me how much they hate their Vitamix and talk me off my ledge.

I can't talk you off the ledge, but I will say I just had a cheap blender from Target (like $20). If I had something nicer I don't know that it'd be necessary. (I do have a food processor, but I have a tiny phobia about it because husband got a nasty gash when cleaning it.)

_________________I would eat Dr. Cow pocket cheese in a second. I would eat it if you hid it under your hat, or in your backpack, but not if it was in your shoe. That's where I draw the line. -allularpunk

I was on the same ledge, I caved and I'm still grateful to myself that I did. Yes it's insanely expensive, even more so for Europeans (we paid about 850 USD for ours), but to me it is totally worth it. It does make unprecedented awesome smooth mush (and lots of other stuff) and does it faster than any other device you have in the house. I got it as my only birthday gift this year. If you really truly want it and can reasonably afford it, then I say you should get one!

(I think it is kind of awesome that Isa doesn't use a vitamix though. It's really important for people to see that they can eat delicious vegan food without needing all kinds of machinery)